Tag Archives: Linda Moodry

Last night at Montana State Prison two inmates got into an altercation in the bathroom on the low side. One inmatestabbed the other with a pen. Friends of the inmate who was stabbed rushed in to break it up leading to another inmate being stabbed. Both inmates that were injured are in the infirmary.

On the high side an inmate slit another inmates throat leaving this inmate dead. Apparently the rumor that is flying around is that the inmate was killed because he was a sex offender. Did one incident have anything to do with the other? That remains unknown for now.

Montana‘s prisons are rife with suicides, deaths, threats from officers, etc. The corruption level is over the top. Officers pushing inmates too the level of suicide and even instigating murder. Remember how Montana State Prison segmented a major portion, well over 30% of the prison by not allowing them visits. Even on the low side calling the inmates to the cage one by one telling them the new rules. Inmates all over the compound started knowing what was happening. At the same time Montana Department of Corrections has a large portion of so called sex offenders because they are changing the definition in Montana of a cowboy into a sex offender. Even labeling the Incarcerated Montana Fireman a “sex offender” when the law did not even mandate it. We were told that even the Florida Department of Corrections did a double question on that one. That Montana would go so far to label someone when the law does not even call for it.

Montana check your statistics. Educate yourself on how much money funnels through MDOJ/DPHHS/MDOC and whoever else is involved. Connect the dots. Be a Montana citizen who becomes aware.

Update: This was stated by Montana’s State Prison Public Information Officer, Linda Moodry

The unit where Hartford was killed is monitored by prison staff and security cameras. However, Moodry said they don’t have cameras in all the cells at the prison.

“They (the prisoners) are monitored and watched, but, unfortunately things like this can happen,” Moodry said.

I suppose that all of these suicides, deaths, and threats are all treated the same way. ” ….unfortunately things like this can happen.” What a shame, they never release all the information because there is too much too hide. Why weren’t the officers doing their jobs? How many officers knew this was going to go down? The cellmate of the inmate that was murdered has been made to stay in the cell where the murder had taken place. What happened to proper protocol in this state? How can a true investigation take place? Again, things smell really, really rotten!

Montana Department Of Corrections still can not or will not place Allen Whetstone into a regular CP&R class. This class is required by all inmates that enter into a correctional institution. This subject has been discussed thoroughly at the Law and Justice Meetings. Department of Corrections blames the Board of Pardonsand Parole that they are going to require more from him anyway. Board of Pardons and Parole states that if DOC does not allow him to take his classes then they can’t release him. Well, Board of Pardons and Parole has at least been showing up at the Law and Justice Committee Meetings, despite the heat. Whereas DOC has not shown up at all, the Director of Department of Corrections, Mike Ferriter has not shown up once. We don’t know if it is because he believes he does not have to answer to anyone or if he knows that the system has caught up with him.

Since no one can seem to explain why an inmate cannot get into a regular class such as CP&R, the wife of Allen Whetstone called Linda Moodry, Public Information Officer at Montana State Prison. She stated that she would check into it and she did discuss it with one of the Wardens. They said that they are backed up because anytime that the MontanaParole Board has an ex-inmate on probation that returns to prison they are required to take the CP&R class again. These inmates are put on a priority list before the inmate population. We already have studies on how many are returned to prison on technical violations. This is not right nor fair that these returning inmates are put on priority to the top to take these classes while the inmate population gets shoved down the list. Allen should be on top priority since he will be going before the parole board in November. These classes take 12 weeks, so what is their reasoning beyond shoving these priorities down the list? Seems like another way to keep inmates in the system longer and have some money making on the side. Linda Moodry stated that she hopes they can indeed see where this problem is coming from and can correct it. The return rate on ridiculous technical violations are astounding. We are talking technical violations such as an ex-inmate being returned to prison for not getting permission to go to the emergency room or getting permission to get married. One from not being able to attend work and a class scheduled at the same time. Either way…if he goes to work he’s hanged, if he goes to the class he’s hanged. He cannot be in two places at one time. I didn’t know that was a cause to be incarcerated in Montana.

Also, they have taken Allen Whetstone off of his medication, again, cold turkey. Dr. Edwards has decided that he does not believe that the VA knows how to diagnose. Allen was taken off of this medication once when he first arrived at the prison, but after documents from the VA and a hearing at Montana State Prison even the prison ruled that he needed to be on the medication. He is once again starting to lose weight and having side effects. The VA and many other doctors have spoken up and stated that a prison that keeps yanking inmates off of life altering medication is inviting and instigating major health issues if not suicide with the inmates. Looking at the poor medical history of the prisons in Montana it seems like that is the very thing they are doing. How many men and women have to die before state officials start looking into this?

Allen Whetstone’s wife has been threatened to stop testifying in front of the Law and Justice Committee by one of the parole board members. He stated that “she was only making it worse for her husband when he goes before them.” That is a civil right. When is this state going to turn things around? Of course she has said she is not going to stop. The citizens of Montana need someone to speak on their behalf concerning all the atrocities that are going on within the state. Someone has to be a voice for those that have no voice, more and more people are rising up to do just that!

DEER LODGE – About 20 inmates were involved in a fight at Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge over the weekend.

The fight occurred at around 8 p.m. Saturday, March 31 near the high security gym. Prison staff responded immediately and the institution was secured, according to public information officer Linda Moodry.

Five inmates received medical attention for superficial injuries. Moodry says inmates cooperated with staff and no staff members were injured.

“It was not a riot situation and lasted about four minutes. This incident is under investigation,” Moodry said.

They don’t call this a “riot” but they sure are keeping it low key. Twenty inmates is not a riot, it’s when the prison population has an uprising. The way these prisons are being managed in Montana the inmates have become hopeless of ever getting out or ever having freedom again due to corrupt parole board actions. Inmates that are angry at being taken by cattle rustlers and branded with a DOC brand. You cannot expect that this won’t breed discontent. What do they have to lose by showing how frustrated they are? They figure they are not going to let them out anyway. What would be worse if all of these prisons decided to have an uprising all at the same time. Trust me, the water is boiling, I’ve been around DOC too long…you can see the handwriting on the wall. We need to have change, humans are not cattle. You don’t rustle humans and brand them. It is morally and legally wrong.

Two state senators met this week with an inmate who has asked prison officials for more medical treatment for two large hernias.Sen. Terry Murphy, R-Cardwell, said he and Sen. Jim Shockley, R-Victor, both members of the state Legislature’s Law and Justice Interim Committee, met Wednesday with Ronney Harriman (pictured at left in 2009 photo) at the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge. Murphy said the hernias were enormous. “It’s kind of shocking,” he said. “It’s about the size of a cantaloupe.”

Ferriter said he could not imagine doctors not giving medical treatment to a person with that level of need. He said the DOC spent $12 million on medical costs last year and complimented the doctors who looked after the inmates. His comments were echoed by Linda Moodry, the prison’s public information officer. “We take all of our medical care of inmates seriously,” she said. “Our inmates receive excellent care.”

A DOC spokesman said Friday there were no updates regarding Harriman’s condition. *Resource Montana Watchdog

Montana State Prison

Herds of livestock roam here under the big Montana sky. Cowboys and wranglers watch over them. But these are not ordinary ranch hands. And this is no ordinary ranch. Welcome to the State Prison in Deer Lodge, Montana. 1,300 high and medium security inmates live here. Their range of crimes includes murder and robbery as well as drug possession and sex crimes. In its present day setting, Montana State Prison operates efficiently as both a ranch and a modern high security fortress. But it's legacy is dark and its history is marked by violent uprisings, inhumane conditions and brutality. We'll see where the story began --five miles away from the current cellblocks in the state's original stone prison -- now a relic and tourist attraction that looks like a castle. We'll meet inmates who work on the prison's farm and dairy as well as violent offenders who hold jobs as-- telemarketers.

Blog Stats/We're Spreading Like Wildfire

122,892 hits

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

The Prison Policy Initiative Research Clearinghouse was updated with a link to In Brief: Examining the Changing Racial Composition of Three States' Prison Populations by The Council of State Governments Justice Center